4-19 sets total per workout 5-6 days per week – From marshmallow squish to steel-plated abs, build your body and armor your mind with this program.
This is a strength-based program. Your main lift sections will be lower reps and you will focus on 1-4 muscle groups alternating push-pull split per session.
Details About Strength Program
Because these 1RM% are heavy-weight, use RPE (rate of physical exertion) to gauge the weight used in each session and not a strict progression. You will most likely notice, slight variations from week to week with the weight used. That’s okay and normal. Follow the RIR (reps in reserve) from week to week and let the corresponding RPE for that week of training determine the weight used for the main lift. Do not go so hard during the first 2-3 weeks of training that you can not PR at the end of the phase of the program. You should be taking your deload week after 4 weeks especially because the load on this program is so high.
I recommend completing the Armored Body Hypertrophy Program before this program unless you are a very experienced lifter.
Main Lift – Progression Scheme
2×2 – 92.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
2×4 – 87.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
Add 2.5-5 pounds to the 1RM% every week to only one set of 1×2. The other set of 1×2 and 2×4 use that week’s corresponding RIR to determine the weight.
Weekly Split – Weeks 1-4
A Day 1 – Push Lower
B Day 2 – Pull Upper
C Day 3 – Rest Day
D Day 4 – Push Upper
E Day 5 – Pull Lower
F Day 6 – Rest Day
G Day 7 – Pull Upper
H Day 8 – Push Lower
I Day 9 – Rest Day
J Day 10 – Push Upper
K Day 11 – Pull Lower
L Day 12 – Rest Day
M Day 13 – Rest Day
A Day 1 – Push Lower
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Air Bike Sprint 2×2 minutes
Superset
Floor Sweeps 2×14 steps
Superset
Standing Quad Pull 2×5 per leg
Main Compound
Warm-Up Sets
Barbell High Bar Squat
1×12 – 45% 1RM – rest 45 seconds
1×8 – 60% 1RM – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
1×3 – 70% 1RM – rest 1 minute 45 seconds
1×2 – 75% 1RM – rest 2 minutes
1×1 – 85% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
Working Sets
Barbell High Bar Squat
2×2 – 92.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
2×4 – 87.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
Add 2.5-5 pounds to the 1RM% every week to only one set of 1×2. The other set of 1×2 and 2×4 use that week’s corresponding RIR to determine the weight.
Optional Aerobic Cardio
Keep your heart rate between 65%-75% of your maximum heart rate. You can use a smartwatch or subtract your age from 220 to know your maximum rate. Then multiply .65 and .75 by your maximal rate and that number would be your goal to stay in between for the duration of your cardio session.
30-45 minutes of low-impact cardio – Swimming, Biking, Elliptical, Walking, Incline Walking, Hiking, Slow Jog, Yoga,
B Day 2 – Pull Upper
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Banded Pull Apart Supinated 2×15
Superset
Banded Pull Through 2×10
Superset
Y-hold/Superman Plank 2×30 seconds
Accessories Compound
Pull Up Supination Grip 3×8
Superset
Barbell Up-right Row 3×21 – rest 3 minutes (these high reps will burn, maintain good form, and pick the right weight to use)
Two Arm Seated Cable Machine High Row Pronation 3×12
Superset
Olympic Rings Skin the Cat 3×10 – rest 1 minute 45 seconds
(if skin the cat movement is too hard for you or you do not have the equipment available do Lateral External Rotation One Arm Bent 3×10 instead)
Cable Machine Two Arm Curls Neutral to Supination 3×10
Superset
Neck Flexion Crunches 3×20 (add weight or banded tension if bodyweight is too easy, with lower reps requiring you to use a heavier weight to make the sets challenging enough to follow RIR, make sure you do a couple of warm up sets prior to loading weight onto your neck!) – rest 2 minutes
Neck Flexion Crunches 1xFailure (add weight or banded tension if bodyweight is too easy) – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
C Day 3 – Rest Day
Rest Day – Rest up and Recover!
D Day 4 – Push Upper
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Banded Pull Apart Supinated 2×15
Superset
Banded Pull Through 2×10
Superset
Y-hold/Superman Plank 2×30 seconds
Main Compound
Warm-Up Sets
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press Pronation
1×12 – 45% 1RM – rest 45 seconds
1×8 – 60% 1RM – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
1×3 – 70% 1RM – rest 1 minute 45 seconds
1×2 – 75% 1RM – rest 2 minutes
1×1 – 85% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
Working Sets
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press Pronation
2×2 – 92.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
2×4 – 87.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
Add 2.5-5 pounds to the 1RM% every week to only one set of 1×2. The other set of 1×2 and 2×4 use that week’s corresponding RIR to determine the weight.
Optional Arms and Delts
Cable Machine Two Arm Curls Wide Grip Supination 3×12
Superset
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise Pronation 3×12
Superset
Cable Machine Two Arm Pushdowns Supination 3×12
Rest – 1 minute 30 seconds
Optional Aerobic Cardio
Keep your heart rate between 65%-75% of your maximum heart rate. You can use a smartwatch or subtract your age from 220 to know your maximum rate. Then multiply .65 and .75 by your maximal rate and that number would be your goal to stay in between for the duration of your cardio session.
30-45 minutes of low-impact cardio – Swimming, Biking, Elliptical, Walking, Incline Walking, Hiking, Slow Jog, Yoga,
E Day 5 – Pull Lower
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Air Bike Sprint 2×2 minutes
Superset
Floor Sweeps 2×14 steps
Superset
Standing Quad Pull 2×5 per leg
Accessories Compound
Barbell Romanian Deadlift 3×12 – 70% 1RM – rest 2-3 minutes – you can stand on an elevated platform to increase the range of motion and pause briefly in the bottom stretch position.
GHD Bodyweight 3×8 (use the hamstring and glute to press your hips into the pad and pull your upper body upright using your hamstrings)
Superset
Tibial Raises 3×12 – 1/1/1 – if two legs are too easy you may increase the range of motion by standing on a platform or do a single leg variation for some of the reps and then finish the remaining reps out totaling 12 reps per leg. – rest 1 minute 45 seconds
Machine Two Leg Hamstring Curl Feet Pointed Straight 3×21 (these high reps will burn, maintain good form and pick the right weight to use)
Superset
Hip Adduction Machine 3×15 rest 2 minute – An alternative for this exercise would be Copenhagen Plank.
Hip Adduction Machine 2×5 – 60% 1RM – rest 2 minutes – An alternative for this exercise would be Copenhagen Plank.
F Day 6 – Rest Day
Rest Day – Rest up and Recover!
G Day 7 – Pull Upper
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Banded Pull Apart Supinated 2×15
Superset
Banded Pull Through 2×10
Superset
Y-hold/Superman Plank 2×30 seconds
Main Compound
Warm-Up Sets
Pull Up
1×12 – 45% 1RM – rest 45 seconds
1×8 – 60% 1RM – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
1×3 – 70% 1RM – rest 1 minute 45 seconds – do these following warm-ups weighted and slowly scale in weight if you are doing your top sets weighted
1×2 – 75% 1RM – rest 2 minutes
1×1 – 85% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
Working Sets
Pull Up – do these weighted if lower reps are too easy.
2×2 – 92.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
2×4 – 87.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
Add 2.5-5 pounds to the 1RM% every week to only one set of 1×2. The other set of 1×2 and 2×4 use that week’s corresponding RIR to determine the weight.
Optional Arms and Delts
Cable Machine Two Arm Curls Wide Grip Supination 3×12
Superset
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise Pronation 3×12
Superset
Cable Machine Two Arm Pushdowns Supination 3×12
Rest – 1 minute 30 seconds
Optional Aerobic Cardio
Keep your heart rate between 65%-75% of your maximum heart rate. You can use a smartwatch or subtract your age from 220 to know your maximum rate. Then multiply .65 and .75 by your maximal rate and that number would be your goal to stay in between for the duration of your cardio session.
30-45 minutes of low-impact cardio – Swimming, Biking, Elliptical, Walking, Incline Walking, Hiking, Slow Jog, Yoga,
H Day 8 – Push Lower
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Air Bike Sprint 2×2 minutes
Superset
Floor Sweeps 2×14 steps
Superset
Standing Quad Pull 2×5 per leg
Accessories Compound
Walking Lunges 2×30 (15 per leg) – rest 1 minute 45 seconds
TRX Plyometric Jump Squat 2×5 – rest 2 minutes
Leg Press Close Stance 3×12 – rest 2 minutes
Leg Extension Feet Out 3×21 (these high reps will burn, maintain good form, and pick the right weight to use)
Superset
Hanging Leg Lift Straight Legs ISO Hold (the hip angle at 90 degrees) 3×15 seconds – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
Standing One Leg Calf Raise 3×12 – 1/1/2
Superset
Straddle Up 3×12 – rest 1 minute 45 seconds
I Day 9 – Rest Day
Rest Day – Rest up and Recover!
J Day 10 – Push Upper
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Banded Pull Apart Supinated 2×15
Superset
Banded Pull Through 2×10
Superset
Y-hold/Superman Plank 2×30 seconds
Accessories Compound
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press 3×12
Superset
Cable Machine Chest Press 3×10 – 1/1/1 – rest 1 minute 53 seconds (if your gym does not have a chest press machine, you can get an adjustable bench and center it in between the middle of a cable machine. Almost every gym will have a cable machine and adjustable bench, if all machines are occupied then you can barbell bench press with a close grip.)
Dumbbell Bugenhagen Swimmers 3×15
Superset
Bodyweight Dips 3×6 – 1/3/2 – rest 1 minute 53 seconds (make sure you follow the tempo for this exercise)
Push-Ups 3xFailure (once you fail on your feet, then go onto your knees to get extra reps)
Superset
Neck Extension Crunches 3×20 (add weight or banded tension if bodyweight is too easy, with lower reps requiring you to use a heavier weight to make the sets challenging enough to follow RIR, make sure you do a couple of warm up sets prior to loading weight onto your neck!) – rest 2 minutes
Neck Extension Crunches 1xFailure (add weight or banded tension if bodyweight is too easy) – rest 2 minutes
K Day 11 – Pull Lower
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Air Bike Sprint 2×2 minutes
Superset
Floor Sweeps 2×14 steps
Superset
Standing Quad Pull 2×5 per leg
Main Compound
Warm-Up Sets
Barbell Deadlift Conventional Stance
1×12 – 45% 1RM – rest 45 seconds
1×8 – 60% 1RM – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
1×3 – 70% 1RM – rest 1 minute 45 seconds – do these following warm-ups weighted and slowly scale in weight if you are doing your top sets weighted
1×2 – 75% 1RM – rest 2 minutes
1×1 – 85% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
Working Sets
Barbell Deadlift Conventional Stance
2×2 – 92.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
2×4 – 87.5% 1RM – rest 3 minutes
Add 2.5-5 pounds to the 1RM% every week to only one set of 1×2. The other set of 1×2 and 2×4 use that week’s corresponding RIR to determine the weight.
Optional Arms and Delts
Cable Machine Two Arm Curls Wide Grip Supination 3×12
Superset
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise Pronation 3×12
Superset
Cable Machine Two Arm Pushdowns Supination 3×12
Rest – 1 minute 30 seconds
Optional Aerobic Cardio
Keep your heart rate between 65%-75% of your maximum heart rate. You can use a smartwatch or subtract your age from 220 to know your maximum rate. Then multiply .65 and .75 by your maximal rate and that number would be your goal to stay in between for the duration of your cardio session.
30-45 minutes of low-impact cardio – Swimming, Biking, Elliptical, Walking, Incline Walking, Hiking, Slow Jog, Yoga,
L Day 12 – Rest Day
Rest Day – Rest up and Recover!
M Day 13 – Rest Day
Rest Day – Rest up and Recover!